The effect of sham feeding on the basal metabolism in dogs

Summary

Reflex excitation of the gastric glands in sham feeding of dogs carried out for 5–9 days in succession with open and closed gastric fistula causes a prolonged change in the BMR (up to 25 days). Long-term secretion of the gastric glands, not connected with the loss of gastric juice, results in the decrease of the BMR. On the contrary, the loss of gastric juice by the body causes a prolonged rise in the BMR. The reflex mechanism is of the utmost importance in the changes of the BMR which appear during sham feeding. Prolonged changes in the BMR depending on whether the gastric juice which is secreted is retained or lost by the body point to a certain role played by the humoral factor in controlling these changes.